This type of vehicle body structure which exist is shown, for example, in FIGS. 4 and 5.
According to the illustrated structure, an upper rail 103 for guiding a slide door 100 via a roller 101 so as to be openable and closable in a back-and-forth direction of a vehicle body 102 is assembled by welding or the like to an outer side roof rail panel 105 which constitutes a side roof rail 104. An area of the upper rail 103 ranging from a general part (see FIG. 4) to a front part (see FIG. 5) bends toward a vehicle compartment. In the drawing, the reference numeral 106 denotes a weather strip for sealing up a gap between the slide door 100 and the vehicle body 102. The reference numeral 107 denotes a roof panel.
With the above-described conventional vehicle body structure, the upper rail 103 is shaped such that its front side bends toward the vehicle compartment. Thus, the side roof rail 104 requires a markedly curved shape. In other words, its cross section abruptly changes, so that it is difficult to ensure the strength and rigidity of the side roof rail 104 against collision and driving stability of the vehicle.
Furthermore, the upper rail 103 is assembled to the outer side roof rail panel 105 of the side roof rail 104. This makes it difficult to provide at this site of assembly a sealing portion between the slide door 100 and the vehicle body 102. Thus, dirt or dust that has penetrated the space at this site adheres to the upper rail 103 or the roller 101. As a result, a feeling of the door during rolling movement of the slide door 100 diminishes, and a wind noise when vechile moves occurs because of wind penetrating that space. Moreover, it becomes necessary to apply a sealer at junctions between the outer side roof rail panel 105 and other panels. To apply this sealer is difficult to do.
A car model adopting a roof moulding structure, on the other hand, involves the following problem: As stated earlier, the side roof rail 104 takes a shape in which a part of it is markedly bent toward the vehicle compartment side. This configuration impedes continuous spot welding.
An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body structure which increases the strength and rigidity of a side roof rail, and improves sealability between a slide door and a vehicle body.